Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve offered a prayer during the inauguration ceremony of Utah Governor Gary Herbert on January 7.

The hour-long inauguration event—attended by political, community, and business leaders and held in Utah’s Capitol rotunda—also included a performance by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

During his inaugural address, Governor Herbert, a Latter-day Saint beginning his first full term, encouraged optimism, courage, and faith.

He told the story of the “Hole in the Rock” pioneers, who in 1879 stood on the rim of Glen Canyon, a seemingly impossible obstacle, on their way to colonize the San Juan area of southeastern Utah. The pioneers persevered, he said, building a trail that allowed them to continue toward their goal.